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Effect of acupuncture in myelosuppression and quality of life in women with breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy: a randomized clinical study

Supportive Care in Cancer volume 31, Article number: 156 (2023) Cite this article

Abstract

Objective

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of acupuncture on myelosuppression and quality of life in women with breast cancer during treatment with anthracyclines (ANT).

Methods

Women with indication for ANT chemotherapy were randomized into two groups: acupuncture group (AG) and control group (CG). A quality of life questionnaire (FACT-G) and peripheral blood levels of the participants were evaluated before and at the end of treatment. The AG was submitted to an acupuncture intervention, starting before the first chemotherapy infusion, and continuing throughout the treatment.

Results

A total of 26 women were randomized into 2 groups: AG (10) and CG (16). Of these, 26.9% had a dense dose indication according to the service’s protocol for the administration of granulocyte-stimulating factor (G-CSF) from the first cycle, not participating in the analysis. The need for secondary prophylaxis with G-CSF occurred in 72.7% in the control group versus 12% in the acupuncture group. Regarding quality of life (QoL), it was observed that the groups did not initially differ from each other. At the end of the treatment, there was a significant difference in the AG for the physical (GP) (p-value=0.011), social/family (GS) (p-value=0.018), and functional (GF) (p-value=0.010) domains, regarding the initial and final FACT-G showed a difference between the groups, where the GA average at the end rose from 80.68 to 90.12 (p-value = 0.004) and in the CG the average dropped from 81.95 to 70.59 (p-value=0.003).

Conclusion

Acupuncture was efficient in the secondary prophylaxis of myelosuppression during chemotherapy and the quality of life of women during treatment has increased.

Trial registration

Brazilian Registry of Clinical Trials — Rebec on 06/28/2018, registration number U1111-1216-3921, Rebec Trial RBR-7BWJ6R

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Data availability

Data analysis was performed using SPSS 20.0, Minitab 16, and Microsoft Office Excel 2010. Significance was set at 5%, and 95% confidence intervals were presented. Variables were initially assessed for normality of distribution using a Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. For analysis of pre- and post-intervention questionnaire results, and for gain and efficiently calculations, a Student’s T test was used. For comparison of need of G-CSF indication during chemotherapy in the study and control groups, a chi-square test was used.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Gynecology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), Federal University of São Paulo, Rua Marselhesa, 249 Vila Clementino, SP, CEP: 04020-060, São Paulo, Brazil

    Carmen Sylvia Varella Alliz Sicart, Roberta Pitta Costa Luz, Samantha Karlla Lopes de Almeida Rizzi, Afonso Celso Pinto Nazário, Gil Facina & Simone Elias

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  1. Carmen Sylvia Varella Alliz Sicart
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Contributions

All authors contributed to the study. Material preparation, data collection, and analysis were performed by Carmen Sylvia Varella Alliz Sicart. The first draft of the manuscript was written by Carmen Sylvia Varella Alliz Sicart, and all authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Samantha Karlla Lopes de Almeida Rizzi.

Ethics declarations

Ethics approval and consent to participate

The approval of the Research Ethics Committee of the Federal University of São Paulo was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the Federal University of São Paulo (CEP, version 3, CAAE: 82293618.8.0000.5505, approval number 2,519,930, February 7 of 2018) and Brazilian Registry of Clinical Trials — Rebec on 06/28/2018, registration number U1111-1216-3921, Rebec Trial RBR-7BWJ6R.

Consent for publication

Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study. Consensus term in accordance with Resolution 466/1 of the CEP/CONEP (Research Ethics Committees/National Research Ethics Commission). All participated voluntarily and without remuneration.

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Sicart, C.S.V., Luz, R.P., Rizzi, S.K.L. et al. Effect of acupuncture in myelosuppression and quality of life in women with breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy: a randomized clinical study. Support Care Cancer 31, 156 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-023-07616-7

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Keywords

  • Breast neoplasm
  • Acupuncture
  • Chemotherapy
  • Immunity
  • Integrative and complementary practices